URC announces collaboration with Roc Nation
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The United Rugby Championship (URC) announced today a new collaboration with Roc Nation global music platform Equity Distribution (EQ), in an effort to target a younger and more diverse fanbase. The partnership will give URC access to EQ’s roster of musical artists, and permission to use content from those artists across various URC platforms.
The URC and EQ are using the collaboration to spearhead outreach to a new market of fans through the power of sport and music, while celebrating the diversity of the 16-team league. URC’s expanded access to EQ’s robust music library will be reflected in league competition across Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and South Africa, as music from EQ artists will be featured throughout URC featured content and in stadium on match days.
“Music and sports ignite emotion and display identity, and both the URC and EQ have taken those passions to a global level,” said Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship. “This collaboration is a natural fit, in our shared commitment to providing opportunities for the next generation of talent, showcasing our diversity and appealing to new audiences.”
Equity Distribution (EQ) was launched in 2018 as an independent music distribution company that operates under the Roc Nation umbrella. EQ is known for its commitment to both emerging and veteran artists and providing them with significant global exposure while also allowing them to maintain ownership of their music.
“This partnership gives the URC an incredible opportunity to captivate their audiences with some of the hottest emerging artists across the world,” said Krystian Santini, President of Equity Distribution. “EQ’s archive and upcoming releases offer an array of local talent and genres suited to the respective teams territories. This is an incredible opportunity to fuse two exciting and innovative platforms to bring a new type of entertainment to the fans.”
The partnership will allow the URC to engage directly with EQ-associated artists and work together on creating rich soundtracks that celebrate the various cultures reflected across the 16-team league. Collaborations will be highlighted across broadcast, digital content and in-stadium activations. Since paving the way for a new era of club rugby with its partnership with Roc Nation, the URC has garnered unprecedented TV audience numbers; Fans young and old have tuned in to watch fast-paced action and unpredictable match-ups.
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About Equity Distribution (EQ)
EQ is an independent distribution service that empowers artists to take control of their music careers. We want to help artists develop and grow their audience, and we want to help them maintain it so they can stay independent if they choose to. We think that they should be able to decide if they want to keep their masters or not based on how they perform, and we want to help them build up an audience and have sustainable growth for their business, while maintaining creative control.
About Roc Nation
Roc Nation, founded in 2008 by JAY-Z, has grown into the world's preeminent entertainment company. Roc Nation works in every aspect of modern entertainment, with recording artists, producers, songwriters and more. Roc Nation's client list includes some of the world's most recognizable names: from Rihanna and J. Cole to Buju Banton and Snoh Aalegra. Roc Nation is a full-service organization, supporting a diverse roster of talent via artist management, music publishing, touring, production, strategic brand development and beyond. Roc Nation Sports was founded in 2013, bringing the organization's full-service touch to athletes across the NFL, NBA, MLB and global soccer including Todd Gurley, Kyrie Irving, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Robinson Cano, Kevin De Bruyne and more.
About United Rugby Championship (URC)
The United Rugby Championship is a global club rugby league where 16 teams from five powerhouse nations compete across two hemispheres to become the URC champion. The URC is made up of four teams from Ireland, four from South Africa, four from Wales, two from Italy and two from Scotland. The URC’s mission is to innovate and create new ways of bringing fans closer to the drama, using the power of rugby to create a purpose-driven league that allows our athletes and teams to amaze on the pitch and inspire change off it. https://www.unitedrugby.com/
